One summer night Ludwig Beethoven took a walk in the suburb (市郊) of Bonn. Suddenly a gentle
 wind came. He heard some music. He listened carefully and found it was his F sonata. He followed the
 music and came to a small house. There through the window, he saw a girl playing a very old piano and a young man was making shoes beside her, he pushed the door open and went in. The host received 
him very warmly and told him that the girl was his sister, who was blind but very fond of music . They 
couldn’t afford to send her to a master.  So she was only trying to play to some music she heard the 
neighbors play.   She knew it was the work of a great composer  (作曲家). Beethoven was very much
 moved. Suddenly the candle was blown out. Moonlight struck on the girl’s slender figure.  Then
 Beethoven played music for them. He played so wonderful that the brother and sister were amazed.  
That was his famous Clair de lune.

1. Beethoven heard the music because ______.

A. it was played loudly            
B. there was a slight wind 
C. the piano was old              
D. he stopped walking 

2. The young man and the girl were _____.

A. brother and sister   
B. husband and wif     
C. lovers    
D. good friends

3. The girl couldn’t go to the teacher most probably because_____.

A. she was blind             
B. her brother didn’t want her to go
C. they were too poor         
D. good friends

4. Beethoven played some music____.

A. before he was moved                     
B. as soon as he came in 
C. when he saw the piano                    
D. after he heard the moving story 

     The poor are very wonderful people. One evening we went out and we picked up four people from
the street. And one of them was in a most terrible condition－and I told the sisters: You take care of the
other three. I take care of this one who looks worse. So I did for her all that my love can do. I put her
in bed, and there was such a beautiful smile on her face. She took hold of my hand as she said just the
words "Thank you" and she died.
     I could not help but examine my conscience before her and I asked what I would say if I was in her
place. And my answer was very simple. I would have tried to draw a little attention to myself. I would
have said I am hungry, I am dying, I am cold, I am in pain, or something, but she gave me much
more－she gave me her grateful love. And she died with a smile on her face. So did that man whom we
picked up from the drain, half eaten with worms, and we brought him to the home. "I have lived like an
animal in the street, but I am going to die like an angel, loved and cared for",  he said at the end. And it
was so wonderful to see the greatness of that man who could speak like that, who could die like that
without blaming anybody, without cursing anybody, without comparing anything. Like an angel－this is
the greatness of our people. And that is why we believe what Jesus has said: I was hungry, I was naked,
I was homeless, I was unwanted, unloved, uncared for, and you did it to me.
     And with this prize that I received as a Prize of Peace, I am going to try to make the home for many
people who have no home. Because I believe that love begins at home and if we can create a home for
the poor I think that more and more love will spread. And we will be able through this understanding
love to bring peace, the good news to the poor, the poor in our own family first, in our country and in
the world. When I pick up a person from the street, hungry and I give him a plate of rice or a piece of
bread, I have satisfied. I have removed that hunger. But to a person who is shut out, who feels
unwanted, unloved, terrified, who has been thrown out from society, that poverty is so full of hurt and
so unbearable…And so let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love,
and once we begin to love each other naturally we want to do something.

1. What can be learned from the second paragraph?

A. The woman should have paid more attention to herself.
B. The man couldn't blame anyone.
C. The author is religious.
D. The man died in the street.

2. The purpose of this passage is ________.

A. to appeal for more donation for the poor
B. to call on the public to love each other
C. to tell the readers the poor are wonderful
D. to express how moved the author is to receive the prize

3. Which of the following can NOT be inferred from the passage?

A. The author has few supporters.
B. The author was somewhat surprised at what the man said.
C. The author is delighted to help others in trouble.
D. The author may agree to solve social problems in soft ways.

4. What's the best title of this passage?

A. Have Sympathy for the Poor
B. The Poor are Wonderful
C. Smile and Love
D. Relieve Poverty

     For years I wanted a flower garden.I'd spend hours thinking of different things I could plant that would
look nice together.
     But then we had Matthew.And Marvin.And the twins,Alisa and Alan.And then Helen.Five children.I
was too busy raising them to grow a garden.
     Money was tight,as well as time.Often when my children were little,one of them would want something
that cost too much, and I'd have to say,"Do you see a money tree outside?Money doesn't grow on trees,
you know."
     Finally, all five got through high school and college and were off on their own.I started thinking again
about having a garden.
     I wasn't sure,though.I mean,gardens do cost money, and after all these years I was used to living on a
pretty lean,nofrills budget.
     Then, one spring morning, on Mother's Day, I was working in my kitchen.Suddenly,I realized that cars were tooting their horns as they drove by.I looked out of the window and there was a new tree,planted
right in my yard.I thought it must be a weeping willow,because I saw things blowing around on all its
branches.Then I put my glasses on-and I couldn't believe what I saw.There was a money tree in my yard!
     I went outside to look.It was true!There were dollar bills,one hundred of them,taped all over that tree.
Think of all the garden flowers I could buy with one hundred dollars! There was also a note attached:"IOU
eight hours of digging time.Love,Marvin."
     Marvin kept his promise,too.He dug up a nice tenbyfifteen foot bed for me.And my other children
bought me tools, ornaments, a trellis(棚架),a sunflower stepping stone and gardening books.
     That was three years ago.My garden's now very pretty, just like I wanted.When I go out and weed or
tend my flowers, I don't seem to miss my children as much as I once did. It feels like they are right there
with me.
     I live up in Michigan's Upper Peninsula,where winters are long and cold, and summers are too short.
But every year now, when winter sets in, I look out of my window and think of the flowers. I'll see next
spring in my little garden.I think about what my children did for me, and I get tears in my eyes－every time.
     I'm still not sure that money grows on trees.But I know love does!

1．By saying "Do you see a money tree outside…"the mother actually means "________"．

A. Observation is the best teacher
B. Seeing is believing
C. The outsider sees the most of the game
D. It is not easy to gain money

2．The best title for the passage would probably be________.

A. My flower garden
B. Marvin helps to realize my dream
C. Love in Michigan
D. Money grows on trees

3．The underlined word "nofrills"in the fifth paragraph is similar in meaning to________.

A. wasteful  
B. tight
C. absurd  
D. helpful

4．From the passage we can infer that the mother is________.

A. divorced when she was young
B. not caring for her kids any longer
C. alone but not at all lonely
D. prouder with her garden than with her kids

     Once upon a time, two brothers who lived on neighboring farms fell into conflict(沖突)．It was the first
serious one between them in 40 years of farming peacefully side by side.In the end,they fell apart.
     One morning, a man with a carpenter's toolbox came for some work.The elder brother said,"I just have
a job for you.Look at that farm across the creek(河溝). My younger brother lives there.It was he who
used his bulldozer(推土機(jī))to dig the creek last week to spite(刁難)me.So I want you to build me a fence,
an 8foothigh fence, in order not to see his place any more." The carpenter smiled and said,"I see.I'll try to
do a job that satisfies you." Then the elder brother went downtown.
     At sunset when the farmer returned,the carpenter had just finished his job.The farmer's eyes opened
wide! To his surprise, there was no fence there at all!Instead, there was a bridge stretching from one side
of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work! He saw his younger brother coming to him with the hands
outstretching.The brothers stood at each end of the bridge,and then they met in the middle, taking each
other's hands.They turned to see the carpenter lift his toolbox on his shoulder. "No, wait! Stay a few days.
I've a lot of other work for you,"said the elder brother."I'd love to stay on," the carpenter said,"but I have
so many more bridges to build."

1．What was the life like for the two brothers before the conflict?

A. They lived a poor life.
B. They lived in peace.
C. They never spoke to each other.
D. They lived on the same farm.

2．It can be learned that the carpenter was________.

A. unwilling to obey the farmer
B. fond of building bridges
C. unable to build a fence
D. willing to help others

3．The best title for this passage is________.

A. A Fine Piece of Work
B. A Carpenter
C. A Conflict between Two Brothers
D. Two Brothers

4．Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A. The elder brother used his bulldozer to dig a creek.
B. The elder brother helped the carpenter build the bridge.
C. The brothers were both satisfied with the carpenter's work.
D. The carpenter planned to build an 8foothigh fence as asked to.

     Like any good mother,when Karen found out that another baby was on the way,she did what
she could to help her 3-year-old son,Michael,prepare for a new baby. They find out that the new
baby is going to be a girl,and day after day,night after night,Michael sings to his sister in Mommy's
stomach.
     Finally,Michael's little sister is born. But she is in serious condition. With alarm in the night,the
ambulance rushes the infant to the neonatal(初生的)intensive care unit at St.  Mary's Hospital,Knoxville,
Tennessee. The days go by. The little girl gets worse. The pediatric(兒科的)specialist tells the parents,
"There is very little hope. Be prepared for the worst."
     Karen and her husband contact a local cemetery about a burial plot. They have fixed up a special
room in their home for the new baby,but now they plan a funeral. Michael,keeps begging his parents to
let him see his sister,"I want to sing to her,"he says.
     Karen makes up her mind. She will take Michael whether they like it or not. If he doesn't see his
sister now,he may never see her alive.
     She dresses him in an oversized suit and marches him into ICU. He looks like a walking laundry
basket,but the head nurse recognizes him as a child and shouts,"Get that kid out of here now! No
children are allowed. Never disturb patients here. "The mother rises up strongly and said,"He is not
leaving until he sings to his sister!"
     Karen leads Michael to his sister's bedside. He gazes at the tiny infant losing the battle to live. And
he begins to sing. In the pure hearted voice of a 3-year-old,Michael sings:"You are my sunshine,my only
sunshine,you make me happy when skies are gray. . . "Instantly the baby girl responds. The pulse rate
becomes calm and steady.
     The next day,the very next day,the little girl is well enough to go home! Woman's Day magazine
called it"the miracle of a brother's song. "The medical staff just called it a miracle. Karen called it a
miracle of God's love!
     Never give up on the people you love.

1. What may the underlined words"the infant"refer to?

A. The baby.    
B. Karen.    
C. Mary.
D. Michael.

2. What do we know about the little sister after she was born?

A. She was driven to St. Mary's shop.
B. A doctor came to see her in her house.  
C. She was very thin and couldn't speak.
D. She was in great danger.

3. Why did Karen firmly let little Michael see his sister in ICU?

A. Because he could make his sister alive.
B. Because his sister would be sent to a far hospital
C. Because his sister was going to die soon.
D. Because his father wanted to take him away.

4. What do we know about the head nurse?

A. The head nurse was careful.    
B. The bead nurse was rude.
C. The head nurse was responsible.  
D. The head nurse had no sympathy.

5. What is the general idea of the text?

A. A boy's singing saved his sister's life.
B. The little girl is well enough to go home.
C. Michael's little sister is born with a serious disease.
D. No children are allowed to enter the intensive care unit.